Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 65: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEWARE OF man’s in shape to talk business?” the good doctor rasped. ‘“ Are you part of the gang that’s tryitig to kill him? Bring him in here!” Quite majestically he pointed to the very room they had left such a little while ago. Despite himself, Thomas shuddered slightly. “Doctor, dear,” said he, very quietly. “Will you just cool down? You're angry and you’ve lost some of that wonderful poise that makes you famous. Sam doesn’t need treatment.” “ You'll permit me to say what he does need,” stated the medical man, and low- ered his voice. ‘‘ He’s a kid and one of my pet cases. I wasn’t contemplating treat- ment. thorough examination, quick! “Eh?” said Thomas. “And then send him home in a cab if he’s able to travel. How does that helmet come off?” ‘It doesn’t! It’s rivetted to the rest of it,” young Mr. Henning said quickly. “ Anyway, Sam doesn’t want people staring at him. He went to a lot of trouble to get a@ costiime nobody could possibly pene- trate.” | “Yes, and he’s working his way into another one—a wooden one and not an iron one!—that nobody ’ll ever try to pene- trate” the doctor said bitterly. But he was cooling fast. Hands on his hips, he addressed the knight himself: ‘“ Why don’t you speak, Sam?” '”? “Why should he?” Thomas laughed.- “ He doesn’t want to take the chance of any one hearing him and spotting his ~ voice!” A frankly wondering Puritan stare turned: upon him for an instant, and then back to the knight. “1 know him, don’t I?” he said rather blankly. “ How do you feel, Sam? ~All right or all wrong?” The. armor creaked faintly through three fearful seconds; then it nodded assent. “Does that mean all right? Why don’t you talk, Sam? There isn’t another person within forty feet just now. Has that pain come on again?” I am going to give him a mighty THE BRIDE. 571 “No!” came gruffly, astonishingly from the armor. “That doesn’t sound at all like Sam’s voice!” the doctor stated. “* He’s hoarse! ’? said Thomas. ‘“‘ And now _ suppose—” He stopped. Down the ballroom the band had suddenly returned to life and action, and their first strains had a most peculiar effect upon Dr. Leslie. He scowled; he shut his teeth then. “Dod blast it to blazes!” he remarked. “You picked a wonderful time for this trick, Sam! This is the dance I’m supposed to waddle through with old Mrs. Wilber- force, and she’s the richest thing in my whole list and—” | “Well, don’t be a fool; go and dance with her, Leslie!”” Thomas urged swiftly. ““ Not when this—” “Doctor, let’s. cut out the nonsense. Sam’s all right. If he isn’t, I’ll know it in a very few minutes, because we’re going to unscrew that vizor when we get into a quiet corner. I give you my solemn word of honor, if I see one thing wrong with Sam Risdon, Ill send for you instantly—dance or no dance.” The band blared on. Across the place, decorated with some fifty thousand dollars’ worth of diamonds, a very plump, elderly lady stood all alone. “Ts that a promise?”’ the doctor choked. “The solemnest one you ever heard!” said Thomas. - One last, long look at the speechless knight, and the doctor snapped on his mask and plunged away! Down young Mr. Henning’s spine cold trickles ran. He touched the handkerchief that bound his brow; it, too, was very moist. ““ Mary!” said he. ‘‘ We’re safe!” The knight remained speechless still, al- though from the vizor filtered one wild lit- tle gasp. “Mary, are vou all right?” Thomas asked. - ‘‘T—I—you let him swear at me!” choked from behind the vizor. cs l—" “Yes, you did! You let him curse me— me, a girl—when you were standing there!” Original J MeO 0) THE OHIO STATE UNT\ (C a a DOOK CO